Saigon – A Name of Memory and Hope
Saigon, a name deeply intertwined with the memories and soul of millions of Vietnamese people, has witnessed more than 300 years of historical turbulence. According to cultural researcher Vương Hồng Sển, the name Saigon may have originated from the Khmer word Prey Nokor, meaning “city in the forest”, when the area was still a wild land under the control of Chenla (Chân Lạp).
In the late 17th century, when Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh was sent by Lord Nguyễn to the South (in 1698), he established the first administrative structures in the region, marking the beginning of the Vietnamization of the southern territories. The name Gia Định appeared in official documents, but among the people, the name Saigon remained more commonly used. Vương Hồng Sển suggested that “Saigon” might have been a Vietnamized pronunciation of the Khmer word or derived from the Cantonese term “Tai-Ngon” (堤岸), which referred to the Chợ Lớn (Big Market) area.
Under French colonial rule, Saigon became the administrative, economic, and cultural center of Southern Vietnam. Through the colonial era and the First and Second Republics of Vietnam, Saigon was more than just a place name — it was a symbol of prosperity, openness, and urban civility.
After April 30, 1975, Saigon was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City. Though the new name was formalized, in the hearts of the people, “Saigon” still lived on — in songs, in poems, and in the tender way people spoke of their city.
Recently, under a national plan to restructure administrative boundaries, the government of Vietnam proposed merging Ho Chi Minh City with surrounding provinces such as Bình Dương and Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu, to form a mega urban region. Within this plan, the original urban core is expected to be renamed “Saigon Ward.”
After 50 years, the name Saigon has returned — albeit only as a ward — yet it is a small but meaningful step. It opens the possibility that one day, the name Saigon may be restored to its rightful place — not just as a name on a map, but as a cultural and historical emblem.
Saigon – A City of the Heart, of Music, and of Poetry
To me, Saigon is my youth. It is the days of riding a bicycle down long streets lined with tamarind trees, autumn leaves drifting gently onto my hair.
It is the image of a petite French girl in a short skirt, her voice chirping like a bird.
It is the graceful áo dài worn by Trưng Vương schoolgirls in the golden hue of late afternoon.
It is the flutter in my chest each time the girl next door walks past my house after school.
It is a tender nostalgia, a wistful longing that no words can name.
Saigon is architecture
— once hailed as the Pearl of the Far East, a little Paris in the Orient:
Among its most iconic landmarks are: (from left to right): Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, Bến Thành Market, the Museum of Fine Arts, the statues of Trần Hưng Đạo and Thánh Gióng. According to the book Urban Landscapes of Saigon – Cholon by artist Phạm Công Tâm
Saigon is not just a place on the map —
It is music, it is poetry,
It is a melody steeped in love, filled with longing, echoing through time.
🎵 "Saigon is So Beautiful" – Composer Y Vân
“Stopping at the quay when the afternoon sunlight still lingers,
From afar, the fluttering áo dài softly dances in the breeze…”
Explanation:
This joyful song paints Saigon as vibrant and romantic. The image of girls in áo dài (Vietnamese traditional dress) flowing gently in the breeze represents elegance, freedom, and youthful beauty. For many, it is a nostalgic postcard of a peaceful Saigon in the 1960s.
🎵 "Stopping by the Saigon Pier" – Composer Văn Phụng
“Beloved capital of a free Vietnam,
People from North, Central, and South, together as one family…”
Explanation:
Written before 1975, this song celebrates Saigon as the capital of a free South Vietnam, where people from all regions of the country came together. It radiates hope, unity, and pride in a homeland before the fall of Saigon.
🎵 "Farewell, Saigon" – Composer Nam Lộc
“Saigon, I have lost someone from my life...
Smiles shattered on lips, tears so bitter...”
Explanation:
A deeply emotional farewell song written by a refugee, this piece captures the heartbreak of losing not only a city but an entire life, an identity, a homeland. It speaks for millions of Vietnamese who left Saigon after the war, often by boat, with no promise of return.
🎵 "Do You Still Remember or Have You Forgotten?" – Composer Trịnh Công Sơn
“Remember Saigon – where rain comes, then suddenly sunshine.
Remember old streets that know even the names of our footsteps…”
Explanation:
This poetic ballad by legendary composer Trịnh Công Sơn speaks to a lost love and a lost city. With its lyrical contrasts of rain and sunshine, it reflects Saigon’s unpredictable charm, and the ache of remembering a past that may no longer exist.
🎵 "Do You Still Remember Spring?" – Composer Ngô Thụy Miên
“None compare to Saigon yesterday,
None compare to Saigon tomorrow…”
Explanation:
Though one may visit Paris, Vienna, or London, no foreign city can replace the memory and dream of Saigon. The song expresses a yearning not just for a city, but for youth, for home, for a spring that once bloomed and may bloom again.
📝 "The Hà Đông Silk Áo Dài" – Poem by Nguyên Sa, music by Ngô Thụy Miên
“Saigon sunshine felt cool as I passed,
Because you wore the Hà Đông silk áo dài...”
Explanation:
This line captures how love transforms even the heat of a tropical city into something gentle and soothing. The áo dài, flowing and poetic, becomes a symbol of Vietnamese femininity and grace — and the girl who wears it becomes unforgettable.
Can the Name Return?
Like Leningrad becoming again Saint Petersburg, Stalingrad changing back to Volgograd, could Saigon one day reclaim its name fully?
No one knows. But in memory, in song, in the hearts of those who lived it, Saigon never left. Thus, its name will forever live on.
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